Where does “alongside” come from?
Alongside comes from Old English andlang, combining the prefix and- with Old English sīdǭ, from Proto-Germanic sīdǭ meaning side.
alongside (English): Along the side; by the side; side by side with;...
Definitions
- Along the side; by the side; side by side with;...
Ancestry of “alongside”, step by step
alongside traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Side
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Side | A bounding straight edge of a two-dimensional shape |
| 2 | Middle English | side | custom |
| 3 | Old English | sīde | side, flank |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *sīdā | side |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | sida | — |
| 6 | Late Latin | seta | Alternative form of saeta; hair, bristle; bristle |
| 7 | Latin | saeta | a bristle, hair on an animal; silk |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | saitā | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | séh₂ito- | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sh₂ey- | to bind, fetter |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₂- | to satiate, satisfy |
via English along
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | along | By the length of; in a line with the length of;... |
| 2 | Old English | andlang | throughout, all along; along |
| 3 | Old English | and- | against, opposing; in return, back; facing,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | anda- | against, opposing; in return, back; facing,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | anda- | against, opposing; un-, de- |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |